List of critical emergency numbers and contact details to note during the lockdown

Access to all important emergency numbers has become a necessity since the South African government announced a 21-day lockdown to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. The most critical emergency numbers South Africa have been gathered in the article below so you can save them in your contacts list or speed dial.

Image: pixabay.com, befunky.com (modified by author)Source: UGC

President Cyril Ramaphosa directed South Africans to go into lockdown in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak starting from March 27, 2020. This means restricted movement and an increased need for emergency numbers to the essential services.

These services as well as others considered essential (such as electricity for communication/dissemination of vital information and running water for sanitization/handwashing) are expected to remain up and running for the duration of the lockdown.

What is the South African emergency number?

The services that are considered emergency can be contacted through the following phone numbers:

Police (SAPS)

For reporting regular crimes, the South African Police Service (SAPS) is still reachable through their 10111 hotline as well as 08600 10111. This is also the line you use to report contraventions of the lockdown order. These are not just the City of Cape Town emergency numbers but are standard in locations throughout the country.

The South African National Defense Force will be expected to provide supplementary help to the police during the duration of the lockdown.

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Are emergency services free?

The police service’s 10111 line is not toll-free, meaning you will be charged for the call. Despite an investigation into why this remains the case, no answer has been provided as of now.

Ambulances and firefighting services

They are important, especially ambulance services. They are available through 10177.

Coronavirus hotlines

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) has round-the-clock South African emergency numbers. People can use it to report symptoms of the disease being exhibited or where there is credible suspicion of infection. They also have a WhatsApp number and provincial hotlines:

Violence against vulnerable groups

Bheki Cele, the Minister of Police, warned that there would be an uptick in the instances of violence inflicted on vulnerable groups pf people especially women and children during the pandemic. For this reason, shelters for women, children, the elderly, and other vulnerable persons are expected to remain functional.

Government departments

Essential departments within the government are also expected to be available. These include those handling tourists still in the country, foreigners’ visas, as well as problems with sanitation and water.

Presidential hotline: 17737

Department of Home Affairs: 0800 601 190

Department of Tourism: 0860 868 747

Department of Water and Sanitation: 0800 200 200

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Reporting pricing abuse

The government issued a warning on merchants seeking to use this pandemic as an opportunity to exploit the public by gouging the prices of items far above their worth. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) should be on hand to receive reports of this through their hotline at 0800 141 880.

Relief for small and medium businesses

The newly set up Solidarity Fund was established to provide assistance towards fighting the disease. It is to be funded through contributions from individuals, organizations, businesses, and other international entities. So far, it has managed to source hundreds of millions of South African rands in funding.

Small and medium businesses can contact them through the following hotlines to learn what kind of relief they qualify to receive:

South African Revenue Service (SARS)

The SARS contact number is 0800 00 7277. It gives you access to the following services:

Enquiry about debt outstanding

Enquiry about returns outstanding

Filing your tax returns

How to submit supporting documents for an audit case

Lodge a complaint

Request for advice

Request statement of account

Tax compliance status

Username retrieval and password reset

Apart from the SARS contact centre, they also have dedicated email addresses where you can send specific questions related to the topics not covered under the list above. There are also dedicated email addresses sorted by location for more efficient service delivery during the lockdown.

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That concludes our article on emergency numbers in South Africa 2020. If you find this list of emergency numbers Cape Town, Johannesburg, and other major cities in South Africa be sure to share it widely as it could save someone's life.